Silo unloading means



Dec. 12, 1967 Q, ZLJEBER ETAL SILO UNLOADXNG MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 9, 1965 INVENTORS. OTTO ZUBER s/! we SEMADENI PER MLLER FIQZATTORNEYS.

Dec. 12, 1967 o. ZUBER ETAL SILO UNLOADING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledAug.

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United States Patent 3,357,575 SILO UNLOADING MEANS Otto Zuber andSilvio Semadeni, Uzwil, and Per Mller, Saint Gall, Switzerland,assignors to Gebruder Buhlcr, Uzwil, Switzerland Filed Aug. 9, 1965,Ser. No. 478,257 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Aug. 11,1964, 10,459/ 64 4 Claims. (Cl. 214-17) This invention relates ingeneral to silo construction, and in particular to a new and useful silofor loose bulk products having a substantially round upper portion and arectangularly formed lower discharge portion.

In the known embodiments of silos having a round upper section thedischarge openings for the discharge section, which may be rectangularin sectional configuration, are generally located in the corners of thedischarge section. Such a construction, however, has the disadvantagethat the level of the product does not sink uniformly when the dischargeis effected- In addition, the load of the material in the round uppersection is directly vertically transferred to the rectangle dischargesection only at the four tangential points.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a siloconstruction which includes a round, for example cylindrical portion anda lower rectangular shaped discharge section which is constructed, whenscrapers are used for facilitating discharge, with a straight dischargeside of a rectangular discharge section which is olfset in an inwarddirection relative to the round upper section and with a nose beingformed above the discharge opening for the purposes of compensation. Theinward offsetting of the lower rectangular discharge section relative tothe round upper section makes it possible to discharge the product alongthe entire length. The use of scrapers for the discharge guarantees auniform sinking of the level of the' product and thefloor of thecompartment may thus only be inclined slightly to provide for a savingof space. In addition, it is possible to use scrapers of equal size ordimension and have equal propulsion effects on the materialthereof.Without detrimentally affecting the flow condition of the outfiowingproduct, the load of the round upper section is at least taken up at sixpoints directly vertically by the rectangulardischarge section. In apreferred arrangement, the projecting noses formed between vtherectangular discharge section and the upper round sto'ragesectionareprovidedwith an inward overhang relative to I relief for thedlscharge openings.

the discharge side and provide acontinuous Accordingly, it'is an objectof'the invention to provide a silo construction with a rounded upperstorage portion and a lower substantially rectangular discharge sect-ionwith at least one straight discharge side wall of the discharge sectionbeing offset inwardly relative to the round upper section-and with aprojecting nose being provided above the straight discharge section forcompensation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a silo having a roundupper portion and a lower substantially rectangular dischargesectionwith scraper means being provided for scrapingthe materials off aninclined bottom and wherein the discharge section is oflset inwardlyfrom the upper rounded section and is provided with an extendingoverhang or nose between the sections to relieve the discharge openings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a silo having a roundedupper portion and a lower substantially rectangular sectioned dischargeportion with rib structures being formed on the rectangular portion forsupporting the upper rounded portion lying preferably on two sidesbetween which the discharge openings are located.

A further object of the invention is to provide a silo 3,357,575Patented Dec. 12, 1967 which is simple in design, rugged in constructionand economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial vertical sectional view of a silo constructed inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the silo indicated in FIG.1; and I FIG. 3 is a double half-sectional view with one portion beingtaken along the line IIIA-IIIA of FIG. 1 and the other portion beingtaken along the line IIIB-IIIB of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied thereincomprises a silo which includes a rounded high upper section tube and asubstantially rectangular discharge section, substantially straightvertical walls 3, 3 at each of at least two sides which form straightdischarge sides, with supporting walls 4, 4 being located at each end.

In accordance with the invention, the discharge walls 3, 3 are offsetinwardly from the upper rounded portion 2 and a projection or nose 6 isprovided above each of the discharge walls or at the transition zonebetween the two sections. In the embodiment illustrated, the nose 6 hasan overhang extending inwardly directly above the discharge side walls3, 3. It is also preferable to have the end walls 4 inwardly offsetrelative to the round upper section 2 in which instance the noses 7, 7are provided at each end. The discharge section is provided with aroof-shaped compartment floor 8 and includes ribs 11 which bendvertically upwardly at spaced locations. Discharge openings"9 aredefined between pairs of ribs and they may be arranged outside therectangular discharge section. A discharge housing 12 is arranged aroundthe discharge opening 9.

For the discharge of the product, scrapers 13 are employed which aregenerally of wedge-shaped configuration and which are affixed to a rod14. The rod 14 is moved by a hydraulic propulsion system or fluidpressure cylinder 16 in an axial direction to cause the Wedgeshapedmembers 13 to be moved along the roof 8 for the movement of the materialtherealong to the discharge opening 9. A closure lid 17 is connected tothe outer end of the rod 14 vfor closing the opening 9. The material istransferred from the opening downwardly onto a laterally moving troughchain conveyor 18 which is advantageously arranged on each of thedischarge sides.

The silo compartment operates in the following manner: When a product isdischarged, the hydraulic propulsion unit 16 pulls the rod 14 with thewedge-shaped scrapers in the direction of the discharge opening 9. Thedischarge opening is thus opened, since the closure lid 17 is also movedwith the rod. The product now flows through the discharge opening 9 intothe trough chain conveyor 18 from where it is further transported. Bymeans of a control (not shown), the hydraulic propulsion unit 16 and therod 14 with the scrapers 13 and the closure lid .17 move in the oppositedirection. Due to their wedge-shaped cross section, the scrapers 13 movebelow the material or outwardly of the flowing product. The hydraulicpropulsion is again reversed and the whole process is continuouslyrepeated. The stroke of the scrapers is usually adjusted in such amanner that the closure lid 17 will not completely close the opening 9during the discharge movement so that a uniform and an uninterruptedoutflow of the product is possible.

The advantages of the inventive silo compartment are the following: dueto the straight discharge sides bein'g offset relative to the roundupper section 2, it is possible to discharge along the entire length ofthe discharge walls or sides. This is so because the distance betweenthe discharge opening and the opening defined by the noses 6 and 7 inthe round upper section 2 is substantially equal. The use of scrapers 13guarantees a uniform sinking level of the product and also insures thatthere will be no separation of mixed products.

Furthermore, compartment floor 8 need be inclined only slightly in orderto provide the necessary outfiowing action and this provides a saving inspace requirement. All scrapers may be of the same size and the type ofpropulsion 16 may be uniform. If the nose 6 is arranged with an inwardoverhang relative to the discharge side wall 3, this has the advantagethat the discharge openings 9 are relieved and the obstruction of theproduct is prevented.

It is also possible to arrange ribs on each discharge side at leastpartly outside the rectangular discharge section. This is advantageousin that the load of the upper section 2 is assumed directly verticallyat all points and the flow conditions of the outflowing product are notaffected in any way.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventiveprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A silo comprising a substantially cylindrical upper section and asubstantially rectangular lower discharge section spaced inwardly fromsaid upper section, said lower section including substantially straightvertical end walls and side walls having a plurality of dischargeopenings therein, said side walls including vertical rib formationsextending outwardly thereform and extending upwardly to support saidupper section, a silo floor having a central peak and an oblique wall oneach side of said peak sloping downwardly to the openings in said sidewalls, a scraper associated with each of said openings including a rodmember overlying each oblique wall which is reciprocable in an axialdirection and a wedge member secured to said rod member being movablealong the associated oblique wall of said floor upon reciprocation ofsaid rod member, means to reciprocate said rod member, said rod memberincluding a closure lid thereon adapted to move toward and away from theopening in the associated side wall, and a projecting nose formed as aninward continuation of said upper section downwardly and inwardly tosaid side walls having said discharge openings.

2. A silo comprising a substantially cylindrical upper section and asubstantially rectangular lower discharge section spaced inwardly fromsaid upper section, said lower section including substantially straightvertical end walls and side walls having a plurality of dischargeopenings therein, said side walls including vertical rib formationsextending outwardly thereform and extending upwardly to support saidupper section, a silo floor having a central peak and an oblique wall oneach side of said peak sloping downwardly to the openings in said sidewalls, a scraper associated with each of said openings including a rodmember overlying each oblique wall which is reciprocable in an axialdirection and a wedge member secured to said rod member being movablealong the associated oblique wall of said floor upon reciprocation ofsaid rod member, means to reciprocate said rod member, said rod memberincluding a closure lid thereon adapted to move toward and away from theopening in the associated side wall, said end walls being locatedinwardly from said rounded upper section, and a projecting nose elementformed above said end walls between said upper and lower sections.

3. A silo compartment for loose bulk goods with scrapers forfacilitating discharge, comprising wall means defining a generally roundupper section and a lower generally rectangular discharge section belowthe upper section, said lower rectangular section having at least onesubstantially straight side discharge wall on each side of said lowersection with a discharge opening therein for the discharge of bulkmaterial on each respective side, said side discharge wall being offsetinwardly relative to said round upper section, a bottom wall in saidlower section of said silo for supporting bulk goods adjacent said sidedischarge walls, scraper means associated with said bottom wall beingmovable adjacent said bottom wall for moving materials therealong towardthe respective openings in said side walls, and a projecting noseprojecting inwardly from the lower end of said upper section and slopinginwardly and downwardly toward each of said straight side walls fromeach side of said upper section and providing a load compensation abovethe openings of said side walls.

4. A silo compartment for loose bulk goods with scrapers forfacilitating discharge, comprising wall means defining a generally roundupper section and a lower generally rectangular discharge section belowthe upper section, said lower rectangular section having at least onesubstantially straight side discharge wall on each side of said lowersection with a discharge opening therein for the discharge of bulkmaterial on each respective side, said side discharge wall being offsetinwardly relative to said round upper section, a bottom wall in saidlower section of said silo for supporting bulk goods adjacent saiddischarge walls, scraper means movable adjacent said bottom wall formoving materials therealong toward the respective openings in said sidewalls, and a projecting nose projecting inwardly from the lower end ofsaid upper section and sloping inwardly and downwardly toward each ofsaid straight side walls from each side of said upper section andproviding a load compensation above said openings of said side walls,and a plurality of ribs extending vertically upwardly in saidrectangular section and assuming the load of said upper section, saidribs being at least partly arranged outside said lower dischargesection.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,728,470 12/1955 Peterson 214173,128,017 4/1964 Bacoka 214-17 3,138,296 6/1964 Neidhardt 222564 X HUGOO. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT G. SHERIDAN, GERALD M. FORLENZA,

Examiners.

1. A SILO COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL UPPER SECTION AND ASUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR LOWER DISCHARGE SECTION SPACED INWARDLY FROMSAID UPPER SECTION, SAID LOWER SECTION INCLUDING SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHTVERTICAL END WALLS AND SIDE WALLS HAVING A PLURALITY OF DISCHARGEOPENING THEREIN, SAID SIDE WALLS INCLUDING VERTICAL RIB FORMATIONSEXTENDING, OUTWARDLY THEREFORM AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY TO SUPPORT SAIDUPPER SECTION, A SILO FLOOR HAVING A CENTRAL PEAK AND AN OBLIQUE WALL ONEACH SIDE OF SAID PEAK SLOPING DOWNWARDLY TO THE OPENINGS IN SAID SIDEWALLS, A SCRAPER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID WALL INCLUDING A RODMEMBER OVERLYING EACH OBLIQUE WALL WHICH IS RECIPROCABLE IN AN AXIALDIRECTION AND A WEDGE NUMBER SECURED TO SAID ROD MEMBER BEING MOVABLEALONG THE ASSOCIATED OBLIQUE WALL OF SAID FLOOR UPON RECIPROCATION OFSAID ROD MEMBER, MEANS TO RECIPROCATE SAID ROD MEMBER, SAID ROD MEMBERINCLUDING A CLOSURE LID THEREON ADAPTED TO MOVE, TOWARD AND AWAY FROMTHE OPENING IN THE ASSOCIATED SIDE WALL, AND A PROJECTING NOSE FORMED ASAN INWARD CONTINUATION OF SAID UPPER SECTION DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY TOSAID SIDE WALLS HAVING SAID DISCHARGE OPENINGS.